The Table is 12" in diameter so to start 12"x12"x3/4" blanks of MDF are dimensioned on the Table Saw. Then planed down to 5/8" on the Planer.
A 1/4 hole is drilled in the center of the blank to fit over a dowel pin in the home made circle jig I made for the Bandsaw.
The Chatter marks from the Bandsaw blade are sanded off on the Stationary Belt Sander Then both tables are pinned together and finish sanded with a Palm grip sander.
The Table Stations are then layed out. I use a protractor making a mark every 15 degrees then marking the lines at the edges with a ruler.
I need to make one horizontal line on the side edge for the purpose of setting up the Router Table Jig to cut out the Stations
One custom built Table Station Router Table Cutting Jig. As hard as it is to say and as simple as it looks it was a project unto it's self !!
The Jig holds the table at an angle and slides along a fence over a 3/4" Dado Router bit. Once the Bit height is set It's a matter of turning the table between marks on the jig to get the proper width of the cut.
Then the tedious job of sanding. The flat surfaces of MDF are like pretty smooth from the factory but anytime you cut below the surface much sanding is necessary especially after coats of primer since the moisture makes the surface rough.
To make the base Pedestal two pieces of MDF need to be glued together. Since the factory surface of MDF is so dense I use a Surface Planer to just skim off the top so the Glue will saturate the surfaces then cut the pieces to size on the Table Saw.
Since I'm making two Pedestals, after gluing both surfaces I clamped both blanks together in the Bench clamp and since there a little tall I added a coupla bar clamps at the top.
Holes are drilled in the center of the blanks with a Forstner bit and then the circle jig is used to cut the pedestals on the Bandsaw.
Since MDF is so porous an oil base primer is applied first to seal the surface then lotsa hand sanding followed by two coats of gray primer with more sanding between coats.
After painting control pannel printouts are applied. All are the same accept for one. I assumed that Tarkin would have a Deluxe version so I expanded his to add more controls.
The Holographic Projector is a hardwood craft ball cut in two with metal washers for the center. I cut the ball on the Bandsaw using a jig to hold the ball. This was not an easy task and many balls met there doom. Chipping was a big problem.
Here are my versions of the control pannels. Feel free to copy and print them out to make you own table.
Premium Photo Paper works best..
Enjoy !!